ML20153F191

Responds to 980616 e-mail to President Clinton Re Concerns Raised About Location & Environ Effects of Proposed Sierra Blanca low-level Radioactive Waste Site,In Hudspeth County, Texas

ML20153F191
Person / Time
Issue date:	09/17/1998
From:	Bangart R NRC OFFICE OF STATE PROGRAMS (OSP)
To:	Aguilera N TEXAS, STATE OF
Shared Package
ML20153F194	List: ML20153F191 ML20153F226
References
NUDOCS 9809290039
Download: ML20153F191 (10)

Text

. _ . - -_. - - _ . . -- . .-

l Nilda M. Aguil::rm 1

e

• 216 Coron do El P so, Texas 79915 SEP 171998 l-1

Dear Ms. Aguilera:

i l, I am writing in resportse to your June 16,1998 e-mail to President Clinton, which was I forwaraed by the White House or. August 28,1998 to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for response. Your submittal raises concerns about the location and environmental I

effects of the proposed Sierra Blanca low-level radioactive waste site, in Hudspeth County,  ;

Texas. In this case, the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority (TLLRWDA) has applied to the Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission (TNRCC) for a license i to construct and operate the facility. In this response, I have addressed only those issues l relevant to the NRC.

1 By way of background, under the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1 1985 (LLRWPAA), each State is responsible for providing, either by itself or in cooperation with other States (i.e., compacts), for the disposal of commercially generated and certain Federal low-level radioactive waste. It is, therefore, the host States and compacts who have the

! responsi"oility under the law for taking the lead in siting and developing new low-level radioactive 1 waste disposal facilities. 1 The NRC has no direct regulatory role in the licensing of the proposed facility near Sierra Blanca. Texas. TNRCC has that authority, in 1963, the Atomic Energy Commission (now the NRC) entered into an Agreement with the State of Texas that discontinued NRC's authority over regulatory activities in the State involving certain categories of radioactive material as ,

defined under the Atomic Energy Act (AEA). The exclusive authority acquired by Texas under l' the Agreement includes the licensing and regulation of low-level radioactive waste disposal.

As a regulatory agency responsible for ensuring the protection of the public health and safety, the NRC provides limited technical assistance upon the request of Agreement States relative to the:r responsibility for licensing new low-level radioactive waste disposal facilities. The NRC is also responsible for periodically assuring that the Texas regulatory program is adequate to protect public health and safety and compatible with NRC's regulatory program. At this time, TNRCC has taken no final action to approve or disapprove the TLLRWDA's application for the facility. Public meetings have been held to facilitate public input to the process. Should you have further questions on this subject, you can contact:

Alice Hamilton Rogers, TNRCC P.O. Box 13087 Austin, TX 78711-3087 INTERNET: arogers @tnrcc.atate.tx.us TELEPHONE: (512) 239-6065 Sincerely,

t. NO T 9809290039 980917 PDR ic ard L. Bangart, Director STPRC ESGT PDR Office of State Programs I cc: See ne t page l j

Distribution: See next page e rue CdOS g,y DOCUMENT NAME: G:\ ROV \NILDA *See previous concurrence.

Ta receive a copy of this doeuraent, indicate in the bor: "C" = Copy without attachment / enclosure "Eh Copy with attachment / enclosure 'N' = No copy OFFICE l OSP E OSP:DD OSP:D/ /1 ,

l NAME RVirgilio:gd PHLohaus RLBangartl VI o DATE 09/16/98* 09/17/98* 09//t/98 OSP FILE CODE: SP-AG 27, SP-L-5

. , x 1

l' Nilda Aguilera - -

2-

'SEP 17 s98 I

l cc: - Alice Hamilton Rogers, Section Manager, TNRCC j

i Sue J. Smith, Director j

Office of Agency Liaison -1 The White House' I l

Distribution: .

j DIR RF (8G556) .

.DCD (SD08) -

EDO RF (G980556) ' 'PDR~~

(YESf_'_, NO )

~ SECY (CRC-98-0834)

CPaperiello, NMSS JGreeves, NMSS EMerachoff, RIV CHackney, RIV JMyers, ASPO Texas File Low-Level Waste File OSP FILE CODE: SP-AG1 27,'SP-L-5 l

4

Nild2 M. Aguil::ra

.

• 216 Coronido  !

El P:so, Texas 79915 1

Dear Ms. Aguilera:

l I am writing in response to your June 16,1998 e-mail to resident Clinton, which was ,

forwarded by the White House on August 28,1998 to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission l (NRC) for response. Your submittal raises concerns ab t the location and environmental effects of the proposed Sierra Blanca low-level radioacti e waste site, in Hudspeth County, Texas, in this case, the Texas Low-Level Radioactive aste Disposal Authority (TLLRWDA) has applied to the Texas Natural Resources Conseivati' n Commission (TNRCC) for a license to construct and operate the facility, in this response, I lave addressed only those issues relevant to the NRC.

By way of background, under the Low-Level Radioacti e Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1985 (LLRWPAA), each State is responsible for provi ing, either by itself or in cooperation with other States (i.e., compacts), for the disposal of com ercially generated and certain Federal )

general low-level radioactive waste it is, therefore, t e host States and compacts who have l the responsibility under the law for taking the lead in iting and developing new low-level i

radioactive waste disposal facilities. '

The NRC has no direct regulatory role in the licensi g of the proposed facility near Sierra Blanca, Texas. TNRCC has that authority. In 1963 the Atomic Energy Commission (now the NRC) entered into an Agreement with the State of exas that discontinued NRC's authority over regulatory activities in the State involving cert in categories of radioactive material as defined under the Atomic Energy Act (AEA). The xclusive authority acquired by Texas under the Agreement includes the licensing and regulati n of low-level radioactive waste disposal.

As a regulatory agency responsible for ensuring t e protection of the public health and cafety, the NRC provides limited technical assistance up n the request of Agreement States relative to their responsibility for licensing new low-level radi active waste disposa; facilities. At this time, i TNRCC has taken no final action to approve or d sapprove the TLLRWDA's application for the facility. Public meetings have been held to facilit te public input to the process. Should you have further questions on this subject, you can ntact:

Alice Hamilton Rogers, TNRCC P.O. Box 13087 .

Austin, TX 78711-3087 I INTERNET: arogers@tnrce.sta .tx.us TELEPHONE: (512) 239-606 ncerely, I

ichard L. Bangart, Director j Office of State Programs  ;

cc: See next page j Distribution: See next page i DOCUMENT NAME: G:\ ROV \NILDA Te receive e copy of this document, Indicate in the box: "C7AC[gy hhou attachment / enclosure "E* = Copy with attachment / enclosure "N* = No copy OFFICE OSP A l6 O(j@ / OSP:D l l l l NAME RVirgilio:gd M PHLcMth l / RLBangart  !

DATE 09////98 09// /98 / 09/ /98 l OSP FILE CODE: SP-AG-27, SP-L-5 t

e nog y i UNITED STATES s#

j NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION j WASHINGTON, D.C. ma ej

% September 17, 1998 Nilda M. Aguilera

. 216 Coronado El Paso, Texas 79915

Dear Ms. Aguilera:

I am writing in response to your June 16,1998 e-mail to President Clinton, which was forwarded by the White House on August 28,1998 to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for response. Your submittal raises concerns about the location and environmental ,

effects of the proposed Sierra Blanca low level radioactive waste site, in Hudspeth County, I Texas, in this case, the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority (TLLRWDA) has applied to the Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission (TNRCC) for a license to construct and operate the facility, in this response, I have addressed only those issues relevant to the NRC.

By way of background, under the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1985 (LLRWPAA), each State is responsible for providing, either by itself or in cooperation with other States (i.e., compacts), for the disposal of commercially generated and certain Federal low-level radioactive waste. It is, therefore, the host States and compacts who have the responsibility under the law for taking the lead in siting and developing new low-level radioactive waste disposal facilities.

The NRC has no direct regulatory role in the licensing of the proposed facility near Sierra Blanca, Texas. TNRCC has that authority. In 1963, the Atomic Energy Commission (now the NRC) entered into an Agreement with the State of Texas that discontinued NRC's authority over regulatory activities in the State involving certain categories of radioactive material as defined under the Atomic Energy Act (AEA). The exclusive authority acquired by Texas under the Agreement includes the licensing and regulation of low-level radioactive waste disposal.

As a regulatory agency responsible for ensuring the protection of the public health and safety, the NRC provides limited technical assistance upon the request of Agreement States relative to their responsibility for licensing new low-level radioactive waste disposal facilities. The NRC is also responsible for periodically assuring that the Texas regulatory program is adequate to protect public hedth and safety and compatible with NRC's regulatory program. At this time, TNRCC has taken no final action to approve or disapprove the TLLRWDA's application for the facility. Public meetings have been held to facilitate public input to the process. Should you have further questions on this subject, you can contact:

, Alice Hamilton Rogers, TNRCC P.O. Box 13087 Austin, TX 78711-3087 INTERNET: arogers @ tnrec. state.tx.us TELEPHONE: (512) 239-6065 Sincerely, l

lc &I Rt AA Richard L. Bangart, Director /

Office of State Programs L cc: See next page. ,

L -

l l Nilda Aguilera SEP 1'l 1998

l. cc: Alice Hamilton Rogers, l

!. Section Manager, TNRCC l Sue J. Smith, Director  !

Office of Agency Liaison )

The White House l l

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ACTION

-t EDO Principal. Correspondence Control-

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DUE: 09/23/98 .EDO CONTROL: G980556 i

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DOC DT: 06/16/98 FINAL REPLY:

NildalAguilera

. Computer Labs, Inc.

1 El Pro,:. Texas

' TO2-President Clinton

FOR SIGNATURE- OF

: ** GRN **

CRC NO: 98-0834

/Bnngart,:SP

'-: DESCt LROUTING:

SIERRA BLANCA NUCLEAR WASTE. PLANT Callan Travers Thompson Norry Blaha Burns DATES 09/10/98.-

Paperiello,NMSS Merschoff, RIV.

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CONTACT:

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PAPER NUMBERr CRC-98-0834 LOGGING DATE: Sep 9 98

' ACTION OFFICE:n. .

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. AUTHOR:' .'NILbA AGUILERA' l i' . AFFILIATION:. TEXAS I l

' ADDRESSEE: WILLIAM:CLINTON,' PRESIDENT l LETTER DATEi Jun 16 98 FILE CODE:

SUBJECT:

SIERRA BLANCA NUCLEAR WASTE PLANT i.

1 ACTION: Direct Reply, j l

LDISTRIBUTION: CHAIRMAN i SPECIAL HANDLING: SECY TO ACK:.

CONSTITUENT: l NOTES: WHITE HOUSE R"FERRAL FROM SUE SMITH DATED 8/28/98 .

DATE'DUE: Sep 23:.98' 1

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V r ;g i j :g ~] W:4 l From nobody@www1.whitehouse. gov The Jun 1611:06:281998 i Date: 'le,-I6 Jun 199811:01:35 -0400 $$g3c

l From Nilda Aguilera <bluefirewitch@yahoocone p[.y Y""

Subject:

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gs aq Keywords: WWW-Correspondence; ; Register disagreement with a position; %4 '

Environment; Young Person - under 18 years of age;

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[ Message Information] 1 PURPOSE: Register disagreement with a position i@ h l$

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AFFILIATION:

Environment Young Person - under 18 years of age' hW t *

SUBJECT:

Sierra Blanca Nuclear Waste Plant M. . y y .

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Dear President Clinton,

y%igi "

I am writing to you because I am concemed about the Siena .E Il.

l Blanca Nuclear Waste Plant. As you may or may not know Sierra l Blanca is located about 80 miles outside my hometownJL , M f f-p

@8?0 Paso,TX. I strongly oppose the progress of this planITecause 6f 0~ m760s enQronmentaleffects4tmay have on El Paso

- and Sierra Blanca'sluture generations, i *ich includs'my ,s ~

future ciilldren. If t

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+a 4 E It bothers me to think that our senators know about this A. . : ,

situation but aren't really doing anything about it. Many $m f .

_ people have sent in letters requesting the halt of this k g 4' *Q" 4 project, but appearently the senators haven't taken any ~ ff ~

actions. For the plant is already complete and is currently Af f6

. being filled with NUCLEAR _WASE. 'Ihis waste is poisoning the- t 4 earth and putting our hves m jeoM-inst _ead of_w. ri.hng e. aj to the senators I decided to write to someone who is more Li #

likely to take action. If one of these days you are out by $. *. * '

. Sierra Blanca area you should take a look at the beautiful #

. sights. 'Ihen you will understand why I want this to be stopped. I don't want wastes from somewhere else mining this

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'L T amazing area. W= y?+. / uw 4" .-

W w, db 4,. e Sincerely, fim*o' .w my Nilda M. Aguilera g!' .l. a.

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